Google says less than .001% of Android malware evades Google Play security to cause harm

0.phoneArena
03 Oct 2013, 22:38posted on

Every month or so there is a new story that comes out about how much malware can be found on Android or in the Google Play Store. Unfortunately, most of the reports don't include all of the information that you'd expect. Stories about malware on devices often don't mention what harm is actually caused, nor that most malware comes from sideloading, or devices without the Google Play Store...

3.SleepingOz (unregistered)

Yup, the only time I had an instance of "malware" was downloading an outdated translation app from the Google app store. It kept sending me text spam and kept setting my GPS/ phone location to somewhere in the middle US.

Be wary of apps that haven't been update in years and if most of the reviewers are in asian and other foreign languages.

Other than that my phone hasn't seen viruses or other junk and I only sideload Flash.

And that's the only instance people have bad things happen to them. When they're engaged in unlawful or morally questionable activity. This research cements that the hysteria that generally plagues Android as unsafe, in comparison to iOS, is a bunch of bullcrap. iOS isn't a "sanctuary" either by any means. It's been hacked and evaded; such as malware sweeping past their App Store and hackers bypassing their crappy fingerprint scanner.

I do find it interesting that in stark contrast to an OS like, say, Microsoft's Windows platform, Google actually has taken the time to build up a pretty strong fortress of security around Android, instead of forcing customers to invest in hundreds of dollars of antivirus apps. This is one of so many reasons I think that Google could destroy both Apple and Microsoft in the PC realm if they start pushing full Android powered desktop and laptop computers.

In fact, perhaps that is WHY they're publishing this report now. Perhaps Google is priming the public for selling points on Android as a computer OS choice as preparation for Kitkat and 64 bit/computer support.

I think the world is ready for a high profiled name to make the computer war a three way dance. Linux almost pulled it off and Ubuntu shows a tremendous amount of potential but they don't have the household name that Google does. I would welcome more options.

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